


Dancing With Our Hands Tied

by BunnyJess



Series: Reputation [10]
Category: Halo (Video Games) & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst, Blue Team, Blue Team are snuggle bugs, Blue Team protect their own, But he can't, F/M, Fluff, Fred wants to love, Gen, Kelly is a cinnamon roll, Kelly is supportive, Love, Oni, Touch-Starved, or can he, touch makes colours bloom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-03
Updated: 2018-07-03
Packaged: 2019-06-04 17:35:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15152234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BunnyJess/pseuds/BunnyJess
Summary: In all the space exploration that humans had managed over hundreds of years they’d never met a race with the same oddity they had. When two humans touched colour would bloom at the sight indicating how you felt about that person. From golden to black; from the deepest love to the harshest of anger. It happened with anyone so long as the touches were skin-to-skin and disappeared within half an hour. Love was found, marriages were destroyed, wars were once started, all in the name of the colours that could bloom brightly.(The story of how Fred begins to understand something that's always vexed him thanks to one new person in his life.)





	Dancing With Our Hands Tied

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Thalius](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thalius/gifts).



> For Thalius (veta-lopis on Tumblr) as it's completely their fault I fell in love with Fred/Veta!!

In all the space exploration that humans had managed over hundreds of years they’d never met a race with the same oddity they had. When two humans touched colour would bloom at the sight indicating how you felt about that person. From golden to black; from the deepest love to the harshest of anger. It happened with anyone so long as the touches were skin-to-skin and disappeared within half an hour. Love was found, marriages were destroyed, wars were once started, all in the name of the colours that could bloom brightly.

Growing up in the Spartan II programme had led to interesting reactions in this phenomenon. For Kelly, who loved her partner and team with her whole being was always decorating them with violets, pinks and yellows. Golden glowed from the press of lips she’d done on John’s cheek more than once. She treasured her family and found strength in them being able to see her love for them. For John it was much the same, never quite reaching golden unless it was for Kelly. He’d been surprised when he shook Johnson’s hand and it bloomed into a pale pink. He knew he cared about the man deeply, he’d just not expected it to show up quite so easily.

For Linda the reactions only occurred with her family, her team of four who she’d had since the programme. She always wore long sleeves and gloves, unless she was around them as she found it easier than deciphering people’s feelings towards her. They were confusing and more than once she’d been called robotic when only a neutral white would appear on a person. She hated it as she couldn’t change how her mind worked and so just covered up whenever necessary.

Fred watched his family and the way they could cause such loving colours to bloom. He’d spent years covered in pinks, violets, and purples causing resentment towards himself to set in. He’d never managed to get better than lilacs or pale blues for those he cared about; despite how deeply he cherished them. He’d spent too many years being touch starved, hurt, and raised to become almost machine like. He’d never quite understood how Kelly could still be full of quite so much love when his own had been frozen. Whenever he touched someone he felt like he’d break them, scared of his own augmentations. As the highest ranking officer in Blue Team he regularly had to attend meetings while aboard the Infinity. It was like Fred’s own personal hell. Everyone expected a handshake and were always disappointed by the distrustful green that’d bloom after.

Fred was in the scalding hot shower on one such morning. His hands were balled into fists and he could feel his nails digging into his palms. The sting from the small wounds was enough to focus his mind away from the meeting. Angry tears were streaming down his face, feeling hotter than the water nearly burning his back. His forehead was aching as he pressed it against the ice cold tile wall. The mix of temperatures and sensations were helping to break through the incessant buzzing in his mind. He’d only been told about the meeting an hour ago, more than enough time to prepare if he was going into combat, giving him too little time to fully prepare.

The meeting was between Spartan Palmer, Captain Lasky and a couple of ONI operatives. The meeting itself wasn’t causing him any concern, it was the judgemental looks he knew he’d be receiving. Millennia of relying on the colours had led to humans becoming closed-off to people who couldn’t express the full spectrum. They were shunned and seen as broken, seen as freaks. Fred knew that being a surviving Spartan II made him a freak already in the eyes of normal people but he couldn’t win them over in the same way Kelly could. She had such faith in humanity that she willingly gave everyone she met a chance.

It had been three months since the meeting and the two ONI operatives had moved aboard the UNSC Infinity for reasons still not shared with Lasky. He liked having the two women aboard, especially as it made Spartan Buck happy to be close to his wife again. He just couldn’t shake the feeling of them watching him, they were ONI after all.

Kelly was the first to notice the slight changes in Fred. He’d never been physically affectionate unless she initiated it. Now he’d squeeze her shoulder while they waited in the med bay for the two Spartan III’s they’d fetched into Blue Team. Fred would nudge her elbow if she made him laugh, or tuck Linda’s beautifully red hair behind her ear. It was when he patted John’s back that she noticed the true change.

The team were settling down for bed in their shared quarters and they were all in various states of undress. Fred slapped John on the back just as he was climbing into the large bed they shared to help with the nightmares. John looked confused where he stood while Kelly was flapping at him. She’d seen the handprint bloom into a bright shade of violet.

Over the next few weeks she watched Fred change. He became less tense, his body reaching a fluidity she’d not seen since they were kids. He no longer flinched when people touched him and willingly returned his little family’s physical affection. She watched as the colours changed from the pale colours she’d been seeing for years into a bright array of violets and pinks.

Fred was grateful for his family. They accepted the changes but continued to act how they always had around him, excluding Kelly’s initial reaction but he’d expected nothing less from her. The same couldn’t be said for the rest of the crew however. People started to talk about him with increasing regularity and attempted to push his limits. Fred ended up finding himself rarely alone as his team protected him from the unwelcome touches. He was once again thankful for them being in his life; he’d lost too many people.

The comm of their quarters buzzed as Fred received a message. He was being summoned to one of the ONI offices. His team were a little confused as it was officially after hours but they knew that didn’t stop ONI having missions. Fred pulled his shoes back on and made his way to the office.

The door opened as soon as he reached it and he slipped through, ensuring it closed behind him. Sat at the desk was Veta Lopis, a beautiful and tiny (compared to the Spartan) woman who’d managed to work for ONI while maintaining a caring heart. Instead of sitting at the desk, Fred walked to the sofa against one wall and slumped down.

“Busy day?” She asked as she walked over. Fred just nodded and pulled her onto his lap. “Much better now I’m here. Pretty sure Kelly is going to work this out soon.” He said with a chuckle. He ran his fingers lightly down her arm, the skin warm under his fingertips. Veta was watching him carefully, forever amazed that this giant, strong man could be so gentle with his touch. She gasped in shock as the colour bloomed. A beautiful golden ran the length of her arm where his fingers had been. She’d seen the colours growing more fond over the months since their first meeting with Sarah, Tom, and Veronica. He’d trusted her and allowed her into his tightknit world.

Veta cupped his face and pressed her lips to his. As she moved away she saw the golden shining back at her. She knew she loved her gentle giant but never expected their touch colours to match. Fred gasped at the realisation and pulled her back in for a long passionate kiss that left them both breathless. He rested his forehead against hers and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“I love you my little spy.” He whispered, afraid of being overheard despite it being just the two of them in the room.

“I love you too my Spartan.” She replied, shifting so she could rest her head against his shoulder.


End file.
